Promises
by Tamano Setsuna
Summary: One day someone from her past visits Zoe with a request, which she promises to fullfil. After that she goes missing. Just what is happening? Who is Zoe's visitor?
1. Chapter 1

Zoe's face split in mad grin as she got yet another Idea for her experiments, when someone knocked on the door of her laboratory. She looked confused that way. Not many people had the guts to come to her lab. Truth to be said, she could count those brave souls with just one hand.

Zoe walked to the door and slowly opened it, revealing Moblit. Zoe had to look a little bit up, to meet his eyes. "Yes? Do you need something?" she asked impatiently. She wanted to write down her Idea before she forgets it.

Moblit shifted his weight. "The is someone at the gate to meet you," he said slowly. Zoe frowned, "To meet me? Who?" Moblit shrugged, "It was a woman. All she said, that her name is Julia, and you will know…"

At the name Zoe raised an eyebrow. Julia was here? What did she want? Zoe didn't even remember when the last time she saw Julia was. Surely she wouldn't come just for anything.

"Thank you Moblit," Zoe nodded, stepped out of her laboratory, quickly locking the door behind her. Then she started walking quickly along the hallway towards the gate. "Hanji-san, who is Julia?" Moblit asked. Zoe almost stumbled at his question, but she quickly regained her composure. She glanced at him, "She is… an old friend." This was true, even though she saw her only two or three times before. She hoped this half truth will be enough to shut Moblit up.

Thankfully Moblit nodded and walked behind her in silence. Soon the gate came to the view. "You can go now," Zoe dismissed Moblit. "Are you sure?" Zoe rolled her eyes, "You saw her, right? Does she look like someone who would be able to hurt me? And besides, I don't think, you want to hear two women talking." Moblit stared at her for a second, then nodded and walked away.

Zoe watched him leave, making sure, he was gone, before going to the gate. She quickly spotted frail looking blonde woman. "Julia, what are you doing here?" she asked, not able to keep the annoyance from her voice. It was not that she hated Julia or anything, but with her was connected someone Zoe didn't want to hear about. She never imagined that the bastard would sink so low, that he would send Julia to her.

As soon as Julia heard Zoe, she sobbed, "Z-Zoe-san…" Zoe sighed. "What does he want now?" she asked again. Julia looked devastated. "He…" she started, "He is missing." Zoe raised eyebrow. That certainly was new. "What happened?" the scientist pressed. Julia bit her lower lip, "After you denied him… he said he will make it right again. But a week ago he disappeared. What if he is dead?"

Zoe sighed, "You will be better off without him." As soon she said those words, she regretted them, because Julia started to cry. "O-Oi… come on," Zoe tried to calm Julia down, but didn't know how. In the end, she gave up, "Okay… I will find him and bring him back home." Julia looked at her with teary eyes, "T-Thank you…" Then she hugged Zoe, who sighed again.


	2. Chapter 2

Zoe walked swiftly along the street of the infamous underground city of the Imperial Capital, pulling the hood on her cape. She was at least trying to keep her identity hidden. The underground city was swarmed by criminals of various importance and who know what would they do to an army officer if they saw her without her gear.

She even left her uniform at home, rather choosing to dress only in black pants and simple cotton shirt. For a second she imagined herself in skirt like others females, but then she laughed it off. It was easier to move around in pants. The last time she had a skirt was… when she still had home to return to, about halfway between the Trost District and Shiganshina District. When she still had her somewhat happy family.

And now she was in criminal den, three debt collector later, with her money bag lighter than she would have wanted. Just how much money did that bastard borrow? It must have been a lot, when those sorry excuses of humans had to kidnap him. Zoe wondered if her life savings would even be enough. She just hoped so.

Zoe stopped in front of a building, that looked in better state, that the surrounding ones. This must be it. The last guy told her, that he might be in trouble with guy that has something to do with betting on some fights or something and that he has "crap load of moolah" from it. Zoe wasn't all that familiar with the thug lingo, but when it comes to bets, there is a lot of money. So she supposed, that this guy, she was looking for, had a lot of money, therefore his house should look in better shape.

She knocked loudly on the gate and few seconds later, a bulky man opened. "I want to talk to your boss," she demanded. The man looked her from head to toes, his eyes stopping on her face and chest. It creeped Zoe out, but she couldn't run away. She was no coward. Instead she pulled her cloak closed, so her body was hidden from view.

"I will ask about it," the man said, slamming the door in Zoe's face. It took a few minutes, before the gate opened again and the man let her in. Then he led her upstairs, presumably to his boss' office. The whole place reeked of sweat, blood and something Zoe couldn't name so much, her nose wrinkled. If she didn't have mission to complete, she would immediately stomp away. It was worse than titan's vomit and that said something.

Finally the man stopped in front of some door. "The boss is waiting there," he motioned Zoe inside. Zoe didn't wait and entered the room. She expected some dim room with mafia like bodyguards and the boss at the top of a table. Instead the room was big and bright. In the corner was whorishly dressed woman looking at her like she was some kind of bug. And by the window was a table behind which was sitting tall skinny man, whose appearance just screamed danger.

"Can I help you?" asked the man smoothly. "Maybe you can," Zoe said, "I am looking for a man named Hanji Peter…" The man raised an eyebrow. "And why would that be?" he asked, his face mirrored none of the thoughts that were surely racing through his head. "I was told to bring him back by someone," Zoe set her money bag down on the table, "And I am willing to pay off his debts." The man flicked his eyes on the bag and back to Zoe's face.

"Aah, yes, Peter… he is somewhere here… I will order to bring him here," he snapped his fingers and the man that led Zoe here came in. After quick instruction from the boss, he left again. "But where are my manners," he smirked, "My name is Antonio, pleasure to meet you." Zoe hesitated for a second. She didn't really want to tell this man her name. But what if he becomes angry, if she didn't return his "courtesy"? "Zoe," she said shortly.

Not long after that, the door opened and the bulky bodyguard pushed Peter inside. Peter's face was mosaic of black and blue, his eyes red and swollen and Zoe saw, that one of his teeth was missing. Other than that, she noticed his breath short, which could mean, that his chest hurt.

As soon as he saw Zoe, he gasped, "Z-Zoe..?" Then he sprang to action, "Take her! You will get more from her, than me! She is a soldier!" Antonio flicked his eyes to Peter. Zoe glared at Peter as if saying: "I will snap your neck as soon as I get my hands on you!" Peter flinched. He knew very well how crazy and brutish could Zoe be. Normally it wouldn't be a problem for him, but right now he was hurt and weakened from his capture.

"But you know," Antonio smiled sweetly, ignoring Peter's cries, "Peter borrowed quite a large sum." Zoe frowned, "How much?" Antonio tapped his lips, "a gentleman shouldn't talk about such rude things as money aloud." Then he motioned to Zoe with his finger. Zoe sighed and leaned closer for him to whisper it into her ea

Zoe's eyes widened at the amount. It was a whole fortune. Why did Peter borrow such money? And where did he spend it? Because he didn't have them anymore, otherwise he wouldn't be in this situation. But nonetheless… it was far above what Zoe could pay. She wouldn't have so much money; even if she saved every little coin she ever got and didn't spend a dime from it.

"I-isn't there something I can do?" she took a shaky breath. "Well… I know it's much," Antonio purred, "But surely we can strike a deal…" Zoe blinked, "A deal?" Antonio licked his lips as he let his eyes travel around Zoe's body. Zoe shivered. "Yes," he smirked, "You know, I am a business man. I arrange special… competitions… if you would like…" Zoe didn't like where this was heading. Antonio continued, "And if you want, you can earn the money participating in them… as my champion, Miss Soldier."

Zoe's jaw dropped. Is he trying to tell her to fight in one of those underground championships? The look on his face confirmed him. But that would mean that she would have to stay here. It would look as if she deserted from army, making her a criminal. But she promised Julia to bring Peter back, and she always kept her promises.

Zoe gulped heavily and nodded. "I will do it," she said as calmly as she managed. Antonio's smirk widened, "Excelent." After that he snapped his fingers and two men came in, dragging Zoe and Peter out and into some stinky cell somewhere in dungeons, completely ignoring Peter's panicked shouts.

After the men locked Zoe and Peter each in different cell, they left them alone to themselves. Zoe looked at Peter and said in strangled voice: "I hope you are happy now, brother…"


	3. Chapter 3

"Hanji-san?" Moblit knocked on the door of Zoe's room. He knew that the day before the major took a free day, which she definitely needed, if you asked Moblit, but right now he needed her to sign approval of order on chemicals. When there wasn't answer, he knocked once more. "Weird," he mumbled to himself, "She should be there, her lab was empty."

In the end, he ended up going to Erwin's office, to ask about Zoe. Maybe went on a trip, or called in sick. Either way he wanted to tell Erwin about the documents and apologize for turning them in late.

He knocked on Erwin's door and a second later, he was called in. "Good Morning commander," Moblit saluted. "Can I help you?" Erwin looked up from his paperwork. "I wanted to give Major Zoe some documents, but I couldn't find her. So I want to apologize for my tardiness and I will turn the paperwork later," he said almost in one breath.

Erwin raised eyebrow. "Did you look in her lab and room?" he asked. Moblit could only nod, "Yes." Erwin frowned. "Well, she had day off, yesterday, maybe she spent the night in the town. Let me know, when she come back, I want talk to her," Erwin said. Moblit saluted and exited the room.

"Stupid four-eyes," Levi grumbled as he marched towards Zoe's room. A few days ago, she told him that she would help him with training the recruits in the afternoon if he helped her with cleaning her room. Which he did. But now she was late for the training session. And he would have none of that. He would get her there, even if he had to drag her there by her hair.

"Oi you Shit-head!" "Levi banged loudly on the door of Zoe's room. But he was met with only silence. "I know you are in there," he snarled and kicked at the door. When he still didn't get any reaction, he decided to take it to the next level. Since the door was locked, which he checked twice, to make sure, he used his strength and kicked the door open. "Oi, you fat-ass, stop lazing around…" he started, but drift off, when he realized the room was empty.

"Great, just great," Levi sighed, "She wants to play hide and seek…" He stepped in and looked around. There was still some kind of "it was cleaned" look to it, but it had began to disappear under the paperwork, as if Zoe was actively trying to make a mess. Which, knowing her, was probably true.

Levi tsked and stepped closer to the table, with mountains of documents. "She is such a pig," he wrinkled his nose in distaste. He picked the top one and run quickly looked it over. It was dated from two days ago. It was a half-written report. It was literally cut of halfway through a sentence, as if something interrupted the titan-crazy scientist.

There was a knock on the door. "Hanji-san?" came a female voice, which Levi recognized as Zoe's squad subordinate, Sergeant Hannah Abercombie. He opened the door, finding her with Zoe's cat in her arms. "Oh… Corporal Levi," she said with a tired expression, "Never mind, Major gave me yesterday her cat to look after, but he is starting to be really annoying and she never came to take him back. So… you take him." And with that, she handed him the cat and stomped away.

Once the cat was in Levi's arms, he started purring, instantly recognizing Levi's scent. "That's weird, why would Shitty Glasses give you to someone else and not me or Erwin?" Levi asked the cat, not really expecting it to answer. Her choosing someone else, whom the cat clearly wasn't comfortable with, was really strange.

"What should I do with you now?" Levi asked the cat, not really expecting it to answer him. He brought the cat over to bed, where he set it down. Then he looked for the food and water bowl, which he found in the corner, where it always have been. Levi filled them with fresh water and some food, that he knew Zoe was hiding in her room.

"Where is that Shitty Glasses?" Levi murmured as he left the scientist's room. He headed back to training grounds. He couldn't leave those kids alone for long after all. When he got there, he found bunch of bored teenagers, with nervous Moblit trying to cheer them up. Which he failed miserably, as the only one, who was actually talking to him, was the blonde kid, Armin.

"What are you doing here?" Levi asked Moblit. The tall assistant looked at him sheepishly. "Uh, hello, Corporal Levi," Moblit said politely, "I… am looking for Major, have you seen her?" Levi raised an eyebrow. Moblit, who was practically Zoe's tail, didn't know where she was? Was that even possible?

"No, I certainly didn't," Levi hissed, "I was looking for her too. That idiot promised to help me train these little shits!" Jean tried to complain, but one glare from Levi shut him up. "O-oh," was all, Moblit could say. "So if you see her, tell her, that I don't appreciate liars," Levi turned on his heels and looked at the kids, "And you… get moving, or I will you show true meaning of training." All trainees quickly scrambled to their feet and run to complete Levi's orders.


End file.
